Writing implements



March 12., 1957 c. R. SHEM=FERV WRITING IMPLEMENTS Filed Nov. 6, 1952JNVENTOR.

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Illhuw United States Patent@ 2,784,699 WRITING mrLEMnNrs Craig R.Sheaffer, Fort Madison, Iowa, assignor to W. A.

Sheaffer Pen Company, Fort Madison, Iowa, a corporation of DelawareApplication November 6, `1952, Serial No. 319,031 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-46)This invention relates to writing implements and more particularly toimproved means for filling a writing implement with a writing fluid andsubsequently feeding the fluid to a writing element associated with theimplement. An important object of this invention is to provide animproved writing implement having improved filling and fluid feedingmeans.

The method of filling fountain pens heretofore generally utilizedinvolves theV step of dipping the writing point or element into a bodyof fluid. Such devices involve several disadvantages, an important oneof which is that when the writing point is immersed in a body of fluidan excess amount of such fluid accumulates on and around the Writingpoint, thus necessitating wiping of excess fluid from the writingelement prior to use in writing. It has been found that a more aestheticand functionally improved device may be provided by eliminating the needfor dipping the writing element in the fluid incident to the fillingoperation. Also various systems have been proposed for improving thefilling process for fountain pens, such as those involving the use ofreplaceable ink cartridges or those wherein the pen is filled from arear portion. None of these has proved entirely satisfactory since suchsystems have proved cumbersome and generally messy during the fillingprocess.

Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide afountain pen which may be filled with a writing fluid withoutnecessitating the insertion of the writing element in a body of suchfluid,

It isanother object of this invention to provide a fountain pen whichcan be filled without requiring pumping or squeezing, or the performanceof any other operation, but requires only dipping a portion of thefountain pen in a body of writing fluid.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a system forfountain pen filling which is readily adapted to use in most forms offountain pens Ypresently in use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fountain penutilizing an improved filling system which requires a minimum number ofparts, is simple in construction, and is substantially infallible inuse.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved fountainpen which does not require a fluid expansion chamber adjacent thewriting element or an external filling device whereby is formed asimpler and more aesthetic instrument.

It is another object of this invention to provide a reservoir cartridgeunit in accordance with this invention.

Further and additional objects will become manifest from the followingdescription, the accompanying drawings, andthe appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a writing implementis provided comprising a fluid reservoir which is essentially capillaryin nature and may be formed from a spirally wound laminar structurehaving spaces between successive convolutions of the spiral which ICCare of capillary dimensions. A filling tube extends for wardly from saidreservoir and also is essentially capillary in nature and may be formedfrom spirally wound material having capillary spaces between successiveconvolutions. The reservoir and filling tube preferably form an integralstructure or cartridge which is axially reciprocable with respect to thewriting element or point, and it may be so mounted that relativerotation of two portions of the pen barrel will cause axial movement ofthe reservoir and filling? tube within said barrel. Mounted on theforward endiof the fountain pen barrel is the customary feed barproviding fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and 4a writingelement. No comb-like expansion chamber is necessary in said feed barsince the capillary reservoir is normally vented at both ends and nodifferential pressure will exist to force the fluid from the reservoirtoward the writing point. The feed bar has an axial bore through whichthe `filling tube normally passes, said filling tube being reciprocablebetween filling and writing positions.` The 'forward end of the sidewall of the filling tube is provided with a capillary ink feeding slit,and in the writing position the forward end of the filling tube will bepositioned so that this slit is in communication with a capillary slitin the feed bar. The capillary slit in the feed bar is, in turn, incommunication with a capillary slit in a writing element which issecured to the feed bar. When the cartridge comprising the reservoir andfilling tube is moved to the filling position the forward en-d of thelling tube is remote from the writing element, and the forward end ofthe filling tube may be readily immersed in a body of writing fluid toeffect filling of the fountain pen thereby avoiding immersion of thefeed bar or writing point in the fluid.

An important feature of this invention is a structure in which a singletube is used both for filling the reservoir and for feeding the writingfluid to the point or nib during writing. No pump or lever is requiredto fill the fluid reservoir. By providing a plurality of communicatingcapillary passageways within the space defined by the reservoir and thefilling tube the mere dipping of the forward end of the filling tubeinto a body of fluid permits a quantity of the fluid to rise in thefilling tube and reservoir by capillary action whereby the implement isfilled for writing. The capillary reservoir section is vented at bothends and, therefore, the problems of fluid and gas expansion within theclosed type reservoir are eliminated. Thus it is not necessary toprovide comb-like expansion chambers in the feed bar.

It will be clear that a number of means for reciprocation may beutilized in order to condition the forward end of the filling tube forinsertion in a body of fluid. One such means is herein specificallydisclosed involving relative rotation of two barrel portions to produceaxial reciprocation of the filling tube to a position forwardly of thewriting tip. Additional means of tube reciprocation will becomemanifest, such as the: provision of a simple lever secured to thefilling tube or reservoir extending through a side wall of the barrelwhereby the forward end of the tube may be reciprocated between aforward and rearward position with respect to the writing element.

While one particular type of capillary structure is specificallydisclosed herein, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that othercapillary systems may be substituted therefor without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention. The spirally wound sheet material,which is herein disclosed, may be replaced by a plurality of balls orspheres having capillary dimensions therebetween which would draw awriting fluid up into the spherefilled filling tube and reservoir bycapillary action. Other capillary systems which might be used include aplurality 2,784,699 a v Y.

of individual tubes of capillary dimensions placed in the reservoir andfilling tube side by side, a plurality of spaced concentric tubessubstantially filling the reservoir and filling tube, or convolutelywound corrugated material to provide capillary passageways betweensuccessive convolutions thereof to provide a reservoir and filling tubefilled with spaces of capillary dimensions.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the forward portion of oneembodiment of this invention;

Fig. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view of the rearward portion of theembodiment of Fig. l;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 1A.

Referring now to the drawings, Ya fountain pen is shown which comprisesa writing element or nib 12 threadedly engaged with a connecting member28 mounted on a gripping section 14 which is in turn threadedly securedto a barrel 16. A reservoir 18 is secured within the barrel 16 and isreciprocable between a writing position, as shown, and a fillingposition (not shown) in which the reservoir 18 is axially moved into aspace 20 in the rearward end of the gripping section 14. The reservoir18 is filled with a spirally wound material 22 in which each of theconvolutions of the material is spaced from the adjacent convolutions toprovide a capillary space or spaces whereby surface tension effects willcause the writing fluid to fill the reservoir when the capillary spacesare in communication with a body of Writing fluid. Integrally with andextending forwardly from the reservoir 18 is a filling tube 24 alsofilled with a spirally wound material having convolutions spaced to formcapillary passageways or cells therebetween which are in capillarycommunication with the capillary spaces within the reservoir 18. Thefilling tube 24 extends forwardly of the reservoir through an axial borein a feed bar 26 to a point adjacent to and in fluid communication withthe writing element 12, the feed bar 26 being in slip-fit engagementwith a central bore in the connecting member 2S. The writing elementornib 12 is of a well-known tubular variety and threadedly engages theconnecting member 28. The nib 12 is provided at its forward portion withthe usual capillary slit 30 which terminates in a writing point 32. Acapillary slit 34 is formed in the forward end of the feed bar 26 and isin communication with the capillary slit 30 in the writing element 12.The filling tube 24 is open at its forward end to receive fluid whenfilling and is also provided with a capillary opening 36 which is incommunication with the capillary slit 34 of the feed bar 26 for feedingfluid from the reservoir and filling tube to the writing point.

The connecting member 28 is threadedly engaged in gripping section 14and retains a gasket 38 within the gripping section 14, and this gasketnormally engages the filling tube 24 to prevent writing fluid which mayadhere to the forward end of tube 24 from passing rearwardly into theinterior portions of the fountainpen. The gripping section 14 isprovided with a rearward axial bore of sufficient diameter to receivethe reservoir 18 when the latter is reciprocated to its forward position(not shown). As shown best in Fig. 2, the internal surface of thegripping section 14 has a plurality of longitudinally extending splines40 formed thereon. The splines 44) in the gripping section 14 engagecorresponding grooves 42 in the side walls of a bushing 44 which formsthe forward closure for the reservoir 18. These splines and groovesprevent relative axial rotation-of the reservoir 18 with respect to thebarrel and the gripping section, but allow reciprocation of thereservoir within the barrel.

' The manner in which reciprocation of the barrel ,and

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filling tube is effected will now be explained. A barrel knob 46 isprovided at the rearward end of the barrel 16 and is held againstrelative longitudinal movement by a snap ring 48 which engagescorresponding registering channels in the barrel and barrel knob.Secured to the barrel knob 46 is a tube 50 which extends forwardlythrough the barrel and over the reservoir 18 to a point near the forwardend of the barrel. The tube 50 may be secured to the barrel knob 46 byany convenient means, and is here shown retained by the screw 62. Athrust nut 52 is secured to the forward end of the tube 50, said thrustnut being threaded internally to engage a threaded portion 54 of thereservoir 18. Thus the barrel knob and thrust nut 4are rotatable withrespect to the barrel, while the reservoir, with which the thrustv nutis threadedly engaged, is locked against rotation by the splines 40engaging the corresponding grooves 42 in the gripping section 14.Relative rotation of the barrel 16 and barrel knob 46 therefore causesaxial movement of the reservoir 18 with respect to the thrust nut 52.This motion causes the filling tube 24 to move forwardly of the writingelement 12 to the filling position. The movement of the reservoir 18 toits forward position is assisted by a helical spring 56 which iscompressed between a shoulder 57 in the barrel 16 and a collar 58movable within the barrel but urged against a ridge 60 on the reservoir18. The helical spring 56 may be eliminated if desired. A vent hole 64is provided in the rearward portion of barrel 16 to continuously ventthe rearward end of the reservoir 18. The purpose of such a vent is toequalize the pressures within the reservoir and barrel and to facilitatecapillary feeding of the fluid to the writing point.

Thus whenthe reservoir is to be filled, the filling tube and reservoirare moved forwardly to extend the forward end of the tube to a position(not shown) forwardly of the writing tip 32. The end of the tube isdipped into a body of writing fluid and capillary attraction causes thefluid to fill the capillary spaces within the tube and within thereservoir, it not being necessary to immerse the pen nib in the fluid.Thereafter the instrument is conditioned for writing by retracting thefilling tube and communication is established between the reservoir andthe writing element through the filling tube and the capillarypassageways 36, 34, and 30, as will be understood. Also, in the eventthat the pen was dry prior to filling, the passageways in the feed barand pen nib are automatically primed by any excess fiuid adhering to theforward surfaces of the tube when retracted, this fluid passing to thesepassageways bycapillary attraction.

Thus it can be seen that an improved writing implement is here providedwhich can be filled without immersing the writing element and feed barin a body of fluid, thus avoiding the necessity of wiping the pen pointafter filling or the-accumulation of excess writing fluid on the bar andwriting element. Upon dipping the forward end of the filling tube into abody of fluid, it is not necessary to operate a lever or pump since thewriting fluid is drawn up into the filling tube and communicatingreservoir by the forces of surface tension acting within thecommunieating cells which are of capillary dimensions. Thus the fillingoperation is greatly simplified.

While one particular embodiment of this invention is herein shown, itwill be clear that various modifications may be made in the structuresherein taught without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain thecharacter of my invention that others may, by applying currentknowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions ofservice, While retaining certain features which may properly be said toconstitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items areintended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim: 1. A fountain pen comprising a writing element and a wegensreservoir longitudinally shiftable relative to said writing elementhaving capillary space-defining material substantially filling saidreservoir, said reservoir having a substantially rigid forward portionwith an open forward end extensible to a position forwardly of saidelement and retractable to a position rearwardly of said element, saidreservoir having adjacent its open forward end a capillary fluid feedingpassageway in communication with said writing element.

2. In a fountain pen having a writing element, a reservoir havingcapillary space-defining material substantially filling said reservoirand being substantially rigid and open at both ends, said reservoirbeing reciprocably mounted in said pen to extend the open forward end ofsaid reservoir to a position forwardly of said writing element and toretract said open forward end to a position rearwardly of said writingelement, said reservoir having an opening of capillary dimensions in aside wall thereof providing a iiuid feeding passageway between saidreservoir and said writing element.

3. A fountain pen comprising an elongated casing having a rear portionand a forward portion axially secured together in relatively rotatablerelationship, a writing fluid reservoir within said casing havingcapillary space-defining material therein and having an open rearwardend, a bushing having an axial bore mounted for rotation with said rearportion of said casing, a gripping section having an axial bore coaxialwith and forwardly of Isaid bushing and mounted for rotation with saidforward portion of said casing, a feed bar having a capillary feedingpassageway lsupported within the bore of said gripping section andhaving an axial bore extending therethrough, a writing point positionedforwardly of said bar and in uid communication with said capillaryfeeding passageway, a substantially rigid longitudinally reciprocablefilling tube having an open forward end and including capillaryspacedening material therein, said tube extending through the axialbores of said feed bar and gripping section and communicating with theforward end of said reservoir, means on the forward portion of saidcasing for holding said reservoir and filling tube against rotation whenthe rear portion of said casing is being rotated relative there1- to,and threaded means on a portion of said reservoir and on said bushing toreciprocate lsaid filling tube and reservoir with respect to said casingwhereby the open forward end of said filling tube is reciprocatedbetween a filling position forwardly of said writing point and anonlling position rearwardly of said point when said forward and saidrear portions are relatively rotated.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,567,527 Lynn et al. Dec. 29, 1925 2,462,929 Zodtner Mar. 1, 19492,522,554 Zodtner Sept. 19, 1950 2,603,189 Segre July 15, 1952 2,648,309Bartell Aug. 11, 1953 2,670,711 Wittnebert Mar. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS642,437 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1947

